The present invention relates in general to board games wherein the object is to move game (player) pieces along a particular path to a game-ending objective where the order of play and movement along the path are governed by specific rules. More particularly, the present invention relates to such a game wherein the path is a variable, determined by the players, and movement of the game pieces is controlled by player skill and knowledge in answering questions rather than by the roll of a die or dice or by other pure-chance techniques.
We are familiar with certain well-known board games such as "Monopoly," wherein the path around the board is fixed and movement of the game (player) pieces, typically referred to as "men," is controlled by the number rolled on a pair of dice. In the game of "Monopoly" the men move continuously around the fixed path set forth on the board until one player accumulates a majority of the wealth and the other players are either bankrupt or nearly so. There are other board games where the end of the path signifies the end of the game, such as "Trivial Pursuit" or "Pictionary." In these two games, there is an element of skill, for in "Trivial Pursuit" continued movement on the path is enabled by answering trivia questions correctly. In Pictionary, continued movement depends on skillfully sketching a word or phrase and a team-mate correctly guessing what has been sketched. Even with some aspects of skill, these games include a substantial and in fact controlling element of luck. The roll of the dice determines how many spaces the men can move, and thus the category of question to be answered or the word to be sketched is dependent in part by one's luck in rolling dice.
In the present invention, any element of luck is virtually nonexistent. The moves of the men are initially determined, both as to the order of play and the distance (number of squares) able to be moved, based upon answers to a "list" question. Whether the allowed move is in fact completed depends on answering another question correctly. Granted, some element of luck can exist based upon what question is asked, but the player has control to a great extent as to the topic or category of the question. The path the men follow is also under the control of the players. Since the game board is basically a matrix of squares, and since movement can be in virtually any direction except diagonally, a player having a move of four spaces, for example, can end up on different squares, with each square having a different topic or category of question.
In addition to the three games already mentioned, applicant is aware of other games which might be regarded as being of interest relative to the present invention. Each of these games, represented by an issued patent, is listed below followed by a discussion of its relationship to the teachings of the present invention.
______________________________________ Patent No. Patentee ______________________________________ 4,640,513 Montijo 4,613,134 Tobin 4,572,514 Aponte 4,089,527 Roth ______________________________________
Montijo discloses a memory game involving elements of skill and chance which is played on a circular board having concentric bands segmented into individual squares. Players take turns trying to spell, pronounce and define words correctly, remember number sequences, answer question cards, play game chips on the squares of the board and play the bonus chance game. All seven functions are played simultaneously as the game progresses. The first player to reach the winner's circle by completing movement around the board and fulfilling the required activities is the winner.
Tobin discloses a board game wherein the board is delineated with a uniform rectilinear grid defining eight adjacent rows and columns of square spaces. Each space is associated with one of four types of zones, a home zone, a side zone at each end and a safe zone. Each player controls a plurality of game pieces having distinct values indicating the number of spaces the piece can move during a turn. Scoring is dependent on the number and value of pieces reaching the opponent's home zone, the number and value of pieces captured, the positions of the pieces at the end of the game, and whether captured pieces had previously entered the safe zone to avoid capture.
Aponte discloses a military game featuring in one aspect a game board marked with a multiplicity of columns, each column being marked into a multiplicity of spaces and having uniquely associated with it indicia of a type of military force, a multiplicity of playing pieces, each piece being marked with corresponding indicia of the types of military force, and a pair of dice, each face of one die being uniquely marked with corresponding unique indicia of the types of military force and each face of the other die being marked with a number. The throw of the dice determines which of the playing pieces are to move and the number of spaces to be moved. The columns also have spaces designating cards. An award chart is provided identifying awards for playing pieces moved all the way along a column and being placed on a separate continent block.
Roth discloses a game which can be played by 2-4 persons and requires memorization, generally by association, of certain predetermined facts to be successful at winning. The game apparatus comprises a board which defines a playing field having marked squares defining a continuous path or course extending about the board, a plurality of numbered memory cards or a memory list, four colored playing pieces, a clock, dice, a deck of luck cards and a number of marker cubes. The board squares include numbered squares which carry written or graphic indicia and which correspond numerically to the memory cards, luck squares which are associated with the luck cards and opportunity squares. When a player lands on a square, the square is then his and is marked by one of his marker cubes. The opponents are given one minute to memorize the corresponding memory card which provides assorted and variable information such as a state and its captial and sometimes an illustration of the information. The information to be recalled may be memorized by association with indicia on the corresponding number square or may be memorized by association with the illustration (where provided) on the memory card. If an opponent thereafter lands in the controlled square, the player who controls can request that the opponent recall information on the corresponding memory card and also one other memory card corresponding to another square controlled by the player. The memory cards have on them illustrations, a player asked to recall the card is allowed to see the illustration. Failure to recall on the part of any player requires that player to restart.
As should be apparent from the foregoing descriptions of the four references, each board game involves substantial elements of chance and luck, one particular example being the use of dice to control the moves which a player may make. As can also be understood from the illustrations provided as part of each of the four listed patents, the various paths which are defined are fairly specific and would not be considered variables. In contrast, the present invention does not rely on any substantial elements of luck, and the moves of the men and the manner in which they move are controlled exclusively by a player's ability to answer certain questions and his individual playing skills and game strategy. The present invention provides a unique and challenging board game which relies heavily on the player's knowledge and skill blended with a substantial degree of challenging strategy in order to be the first to achieve the game-ending objective.